Jailed journalist Kieron Bryan moved to St Petersburg along with his 29 shipmates

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Jailed journalist Kieron Bryan has been moved from the port city of Murmansk to St Petersburg along with the 29 other detainees.

Russian authorities transferred the group on day 54 of their ordeal after their vessel Arctic Sunrise was stormed by Russian special-forces.

Bryan and his shipmates were held on a specially chartered train and moved across the country by rail.

Ben Ayliffe, Greenpeace International Acrtic campaigner said: “This is a new chapter in the story of the Arctic 30, but it’s still the same story. They are innocent men and women in jail on trumped up charges, threatened with long term prison sentences for a crime they didn’t commit.

“ In an age of cynicism and political apathy in many countries, the activists did something about an issue they care passionately about. They saw that oil platform as a threat to a fragile, beautiful environment. They protested peacefully, driven by their convictions, and for that they are being unjustly punished. They should be released immediately.”
The 30 prisoners have all been charged with hooliganism after charges were reduced from piracy.

Greenpeace said the initial two-month detention period expires on 24 November. If investigators with to extend this period they have to apply to the court by 17 November.

This follows the release of dramatic footage of the raid on the Arctic Sunrise.

In some of the footage, Bryan can be clearly seen videoing the armed security services as they fast-roped onto the deck from a military helicopter.